Students will visit Grassy Waters Nature Preserve, historically a key component of the Greater Everglades watershed and a portion of the head waters of the Loxahatchee River. Here they will canoe and slog through a mosaic of wetlands, tree islands, and forest hammocks and begin to understand hydrology of the Everglades, and the importance of this wetland ecosystem in supplying freshwater to communities of South Florida. They will continue to follow the flow of freshwater to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge where they will understand how humans control the flow of freshwater through the Everglades by the use of water control and pumping structures. Students will understand how human needs have led to severe alterations of the flow of water through the Everglades and get a first-hand look at how these alterations have effected wildlife populations. Students will also learn about the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project and reflect on how they can help conserve our precious water resources!

Florida State Standards following grades 4-12

Students will:

learn the importance of recording data in a field journal, with an emphasis on the value of each person’s contribution to the total body of scientific observations and the effort to compare and contrast their findings with those of other students

SC.4.N.1.1 Raise questions about the natural world, use appropriate reference materials that support understanding to obtain information (identifying the source), conduct both individual and team investigations through free exploration and systematic investigations, and generate appropriate explanations based on those explorations.

SC.4.N.1.7 Recognize and explain that scientists base their explanations on evidence.

SC.5.N.1.1 Define a problem, use appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigations of various types such as: systematic observations, experiments requiring the identification of variables, collecting and organizing data, interpreting data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.5.N.1.6 Recognize and explain the difference between personal opinion/interpretation and verified observation.

SC.5.N.2.1 Recognize and explain that science is grounded in empirical observations that are testable; explanation must always be linked with evidence.

SC.6.N.1.1 Define a problem from the sixth grade curriculum, use appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigation of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.6.N.1.4 Discuss, compare, and negotiate methods used, results obtained, and explanations among groups of students conducting the same investigation.

SC.7.N.1.1 Define a problem from the seventh grade curriculum, use appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigation of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.7.N.1.6 Explain that empirical evidence is the cumulative body of observations of a natural phenomenon on which scientific explanations are based.

SC.8.N.1.1 Define a problem from the eighth grade curriculum using appropriate reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigations of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.

SC.8.N.1.6 Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant empirical evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations and models to make sense of the collected evidence.

SS.8.G.6.2 Illustrate places and events in U.S. history through the use of narratives and graphic representations.

SC.912.N.1.3 Recognize that the strength or usefulness of a scientific claim is evaluated through scientific argumentation, which depends on critical and logical thinking, and the active consideration of alternative scientific explanations to explain the data presented.

SC.912.N.1.6 Describe how scientific inferences are drawn from scientific observations and provide examples from the content being studied.

SC.912.N.2.4 Explain that scientific knowledge is both durable and robust and open to change. Scientific knowledge can change because it is often examined and re-examined by new investigations and scientific argumentation. Because of these frequent examinations, scientific knowledge becomes stronger, leading to its durability.

learn the importance of conducting water testing, understand density, salinity, temperature, turbidity and pH and how these are measured and compare, and interpret the results of their investigations

SC.4.E.6.5 Investigate how technology and tools help to extend the ability of humans to observe very small things and very large things.

SC.4.N.1.2 Compare the observations made by different groups using multiple tools and seek reasons to explain the differences across groups.

SC.4.N.1.5 Compare the methods and results of investigations done by other classmates.

SC.4.P.8.2 Identify properties and common uses of water in each of its states.

SC.5.N.1.3 Recognize and explain the need for repeated experimental trials.

SC.8.E.5.10 Assess how technology is essential to science for such purposes as access to outer space and other remote locations, sample collection, measurement, data collection and storage, computation, and communication of information.

SC.8.N.1.3 Use phrases such as “results support” or “fail to support” in science, understanding that science does not offer conclusive ‘proof’ of a knowledge claim.

SC.8.N.1.4 Explain how hypotheses are valuable if they lead to further investigations, even if they turn out not to be supported by the data.

SC.8.P.8.8 Identify basic examples of and compare and classify the properties of compounds, including acids, bases, and salts.

understand the concept that the presence of certain trees are an indication of events that are occurring, noting that they have adaptations that allow them to live in certain areas, with a focus on the cypress slough.

SC.4.L.17.1 Compare the seasonal changes in Florida plants and animals to those in other regions of the country.

SC.5.L.15.1 Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations.

SC.5.N.2.1 Recognize and explain that science is grounded in empirical observations that are testable; explanation must always be linked with evidence.

SC.7.N.2.1 Identify an instance from the history of science in which scientific knowledge has changed when new evidence or new interpretations are encountered.

SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites.

SC.912.L.17.8 Recognize the consequences of the losses of biodiversity due to catastrophic events, climate changes, human activity, and the introduction of invasive, non-native species.

SS.5.G.3.1 Describe the impact that past natural events have had on human and physical environments in the United States through 1850.

SS.6.G.3.2 Analyze the impact of human populations on the ancient world’s ecosystems.

understand the predictability and logistics behind the KLOE system, with a focus on the Everglades as a natural and interrupted ecosystem

SC.7.E.6.6 Identify the impact that humans have had on Earth, such as deforestation, urbanization, desertification, erosion, air and water quality, changing the flow of water.

SC.8.N.4.1 Explain that science is one of the processes that can be used to inform decision making at the community, state, national, and international levels.

SS.8.G.5.2 Describe the impact of human modifications on the physical environment and ecosystems of the United States throughout history.

SC.912.L.17.19 Describe how different natural resources are produced and how their rates of use and renewal limit availability.

SC.912.L.17.20 Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability.

SS.912.G.5.6 Analyze case studies to predict how a change to an environmental factor can affect an ecosystem.

understand the significance of human actions, including their own, in the protection of natural resources such as water and its pollution and redirection in the Everglades area

SC.4.L.17.4 Recognize ways plants and animals, including humans, can impact the environment.

SS.4.A.8.4 Explain how tourism affects Florida’s economy and growth.

SS.4.C.2.2 Identify ways citizens work together to influence government and help solve community and state problems

SS.4.E.1.2 Explain Florida’s role in the national and international economy and conditions that attract businesses to the state.

SS.5.C.2.5 Identify ways good citizens go beyond basic civic and political responsibilities to improve government and society.

SS.6.G.3.2 Analyze the impact of human populations on the ancient world’s ecosystems.